Westlee Craig
"May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face." - Irish Blessing
Here's to a new month, new beginnings, and new adventures! Read on for our favorite trip reports from the month of May.
Photography & Day Hiking - Artist Point, May 1
"I am always in awe when the North Cascades reveal their rugged beauty." - Sergio Rojo
If there's one thing we know, it's that the North Cascades are magical! This photography trip report focusses on the border peaks, as well as Mt. Larrabee. Read on for a detailed account of Artist Point and photographs that speak more than a 1,000 words.
Backpack - Ancient & Dusty Lakes and Wanderlust, May 7-8
"What better place to dust off your backpack, explore geological history, wander, and stargaze before a full moonrise..." - Lisa Elliott
When it comes to outdoor adventures , Washington State has it all! These Mountaineers experienced that sentiment first hand while partaking in a great first backpack of the year that offered just enough "punch" and the spirit of wanderlust.
Basic Rock Climb - The Tooth/South Face, May 10
"Great weather for a day on the Tooth!" - David Johnson
Despite a foreboding formation of cumulus clouds in the distance, these Mountaineers managed to stay in the sunshine during their basic rock climb. Overall, it was a beautiful day out, not to mention the first alpine climb for all three students!
Alpine Scramble - Humpback Mountain, May 12
"All participants survived the trip." - Krzysztof Ostrowski
Although the trail was walkable in boots, snowshoes proved immensely useful for these alpine scramblers to help reduce postholing in the upper portion of Humpback Mountain.
Basic Alpine Climb - Pinnacle Peak & The Castle, May 13
"As the mentored leader, I thought the day could not have gone better." - Stephen Johnson
A blue-bird day set the scene for a fun climb of The Castle. Members of this alpine climb were pleasantly surprised as they found their rhythm as a climbing team, attributing their success to everyone's great attitudes and support of one another throughout the day.
Winter Scramble - Cow Heaven & Helen Buttes, May 13-14
"Although many do this in 1 day, I recommend 2 days to thoroughly enjoy the amazing views." - Susan Shih
Members of this winter scramble enjoyed a great "early season" trip with amazing views, coffee, and enough time for a quick bite at Mondo's before making the drive back to Seattle.
Basic Glacier Climb - Whitehorse Mountain/Northwest Shoulder, May 13-15
"We watched several snow rollers bound down the hillside and took note of the fresh trail of rock debris that hadn't been there the day before." - Kerri Wheeler
Due to gaps and the degraded snow conditions on the vertical face, members of this basic glacier climb ultimately made safe and smart decision to end their trip early and turn around.
Alpine Scramble - Guye Peak/North Route, May 14
"Spectacular views all-around" - Kurt Mallery
These Mountaineers enjoyed a memorable winter scramble of Guye Peak, as it was Kurt's first mentored lead as a scramble leader and many students' very first snow scramble!
Backcountry Ski/Snowboard - Black Peak Skimo, May 19
"Once we were in the trees, we found only intermittent, thin snow and tedious travel conditions." - Paul Brown
These backcountry skiers quickly realized they were probably one to two weeks late in attempting their selected route, and found themselves changing gears when their plan for a longer ski tour turned into a scramble of Black Peak.
Bikepack - Lily & Lizard Lakes, May 20-21
"Lily Lake has a "horse camp" that would make a good group camp. It was taken over by Boy Scouts." - Brian Starlin
This group of bikepackers forged ahead in their exploratory bikepack despite a last-minute route change due to logging. Luckily, the weather was favorable over the two-day outing and made for a spectacular weekend getaway!
